Key points:
- During the first year of life, the baby develops language, motor, and cognitive skills.
- Children who were breastfed during their first two years of life show better neurodevelopmental performance.
- Breast milk provides amino acids and fatty acids essential for neuronal development.
The WHO (World Health Organization) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) have conducted several studies reporting that children who were breastfed until age 2 show better emotional, language, and learning outcomes compared to children who were only breastfed until age 1, and far better outcomes than those who were breastfed for only two or three months.
“According to the 2018 UNICEF and WHO report, an estimated 78 million babies (three out of five) do not breastfeed within the first hour of life; in Latin America and the Caribbean, this figure is 51% (2.5 out of 5). Data published by UNICEF in 2016 show that, globally, only 43% (2 out of 5) of children continue to be exclusively breastfed at six months of age.”1
Dr. David Islas García, pediatric neurologist at ABC Medical Center, notes that this makes a significant difference in the neurodevelopmental impact seen in children aged three and older.
Breastfeeding is very important for a baby’s neurodevelopment, as it is a key source of amino acids and fatty acids, which directly impact brain development and translate into better cognitive ability later in life.
During the baby’s first year of life, different areas develop, including language, cognitive, and motor, all of which work together to build connections in the brain that support healthy overall development.
The stages of brain maturation in children begin during pregnancy; there is a system of neural circuits that continuously communicate with one another, reaching the brain’s different regions, and this is where the greatest learning benefits come from.
Dr. Islas notes that breastfeeding has also been shown to help strengthen a baby’s motor function. There are two types of motor function:
- Gross motor function. This allows the child to do things like sit up at six months of age, crawl at eight months, and begin walking from around 12 months.
- Fine motor function. Thanks to this ability, the baby can perform precise movements, including grasping objects with their hands.
Breastfeeding is the fundamental pillar of a baby’s neuronal development, providing the essential nutrients needed at this stage of life. But this works alongside other external environmental factors, such as the family unit and, later on, complementary feeding starting at six months of age, notes Dr. Islas.
At ABC Medical Center’s Neurology Center, we can provide you with specialized care. Contact us!
